Marine Mammal Rescue CertificationOffered by: British Divers Marine Life RescueDates offered: Wednesday 13 August (The course on Tuesday 19 August has been canceled. Registrants should have received an email regarding this course from the organizer.)Time: 8a.m. to 6:30p.m. (times are approximate & include travel to the site)Cost: $198/£121* (inc. VAT)Capacity: Maximum of 30 delegates per day (a minimum of 8 delegates is needed)*Cost in pounds sterling may change at time of registration due to the exchange rate

This is a one-day course in which delegates will receive marine mammal medic training and become certified in marine mammal rescue. Upon successful completion of the course, delegates will receive a marine mammal medic certificate and handbook, photocard and I.D, marine mammal medic woven badge and one year full insurance for the medic and third-party insurance for any non-medic who assists during a rescue. Delegates will be picked up near the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in Glasgow and transported to the Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment on Loch Lomond. The course consists of a morning lecture sesion and afternoon practical sessions in seal, dolphin and whale rescue. Delegates should bring lunch with them. The course and marine mammal rescue certification do not require that you be certified to scuba dive. For more information on the course, visit the BDMLR course website.

*Participants must bring either a full-covereage wetsuit or a drysuit to the course. There are shops in Glasgow that will hire out wetsuits/drysuits if you cannot bring one with you to IMCC3.

Introduction to Using GIS in Marine BiologyOffered by: GIS in EcologyDates offered: 11-13 August (three-day course)Times: 9a.m. to 5p.m. (start and end times are subject to change)Cost: $490/£300* (inc. VAT)Capacity: Maximum of 14 delegates*Cost in pounds sterling may change at time of registration due to the exchange rate

GIS In Ecology will be holding a multi-day introductory training course on using GIS for marine biological research. It will be taught by Dr. Colin D. MacLeod, the author of ‘An Introduction To Using GIS In Marine Biology’ (Pictish Beast Publications). It is aimed at those just starting to use GIS in their research and who have little or no existing knowledge of this subject area. All the practical exercises will be done using a standard data set so you do not need to have your own data to do this course. Attendance will be limited to a maximum of 14 people. For more information, contact: info@GISinEcology.com. At the end of the course, all attendees will receive a certificate of attendance and completion. Each certificate is embossed with the GIS In Ecology official stamp to prevent its fraudulent reproduction. In addition, each certificate has its own unique identification number that we will record, along with your name, meaning that we can verify the authenticity of the certificates we issue (and the course you have completed) on request. To attend this course, you must bring your own laptop computer and have a fully licensed copy of ArcGIS 9.3, 10, 10.1, 10.2 software (ArcGIS 10.2 is the preferred software), and a licence for the ArGIS Spatial Analyst extension pre-installed on it. (This can be the 60-day free trial from ESRI). In addition, you will need to have a licence for the Spatial Analyst extension. You will also need to have spreadsheet software, such as Excel, on your computer. This course is being offered at a special reduced price for IMCC3. (The regular cost for the course is $710.)

Species distribution modelling (also known as habitat modelling, predictive habitat modelling, ecological niche modelling, habitat suitability modelling and essential habitat modelling) is becoming increasingly widely used in marine biology. This course aims to provide an introduction to the concept and application of species distribution modelling (SDM) in the marine environment. It assumes that you have at least a basic knowledge of GIS and is not aimed at complete beginners. (If you are a complete beginner, you can attend the introductory GIS course which will be held just before the IMCC on 11 – 13 August 2014 at the same venue). You need to have a basic knowledge of GIS to do this course. You must also have your own laptop with a licensed copy of ArcGIS software to attend this course. (This can be the 60 day free trial from ESRI.) In addition, you will need to have a licence for the Spatial Analyst extension, and have a copy of R statistical software. This course is being offered at a special reduced price for IMCC3. (The regular cost for the course is $530.)

About the International Marine Conservation Congress

The SCB Marine Section's International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) are the most important international meetings for marine conservation professionals and students.